Speculations on former Union Minister Dilip Ray returning to electoral politics in 2024 has warmed the political climate of Rourkela in the New Year.
Though the next Assembly election is more than a year away, his close aide and noted social activist Harihar Routray revealed in a New Year celebration that many Rourkelites have urged Dilipbabu to contest the 2024 Assembly election from Rourkela. Though Dilipbabu has not given a green signal but he has not denied it either, he said.
Routray said it was Ray for whose effort projects like second Brahmani Bridge, Super Specialty Hospital and expansion of Rourkela Air Port were possible and Rourkela became a Smart City. So, if once again he becomes the MLA of Rourkela, then many more development projects can be undertaken in Rourkela in particular and in Sundargarh district in general.
Now a question is which party Ray will contest from. Ray was one of the architects in the formation of BJD in 1997, but in 2000 he expelled from the party and subsequently, Ray had joined Congress. Later, giving a tough challenge to the BJD he succeeded to win the Rajya Sabha seat in 2002 as an independent candidate. Though before the 2004 Assembly election he joined Congress but couldn’t continue long and left the party. Ahead of the 2009 Assembly election, he joined the BJP.
But his equations with the BJP turned sour on certain development projects and the CBI dragged him to court on an old case. Finally in November 2018, he left BJP and resigned as MLA.
After quitting BJP, his visit to Naveen Niwas in March, 2019 once again raised speculations about Ray’s return to the BJD and he being chosen as party candidate in 2019 Assembly election from Rourkela. But nothing of the sort happened as the BJD fielded Sarada Nayak as its candidate from Rourkela with of course the tacit support of Ray. In April, 2019, Ray ruled out joining any political party and contesting the election but stated that he would continue his works for the development of Rourkela.
Though since then he has not joined any party but his admiration for the Naveen Patnaik Government on various issues, especially development works in sports, was cited as his growing proximity towards the BJD. His passive involvement in Rourkela Urban Bank elections and Rourkela Chamber of Commerce and Industries is also seen as a signal of his coming back to active politics. Even once he had said if the Rourkela people desired, then he would consider joining active politics once again.
Now Routray’s statement is in tune with Ray’s earlier statements. Consequently, there is a buzz around that Ray may be in the fray in the 2014 Assembly election. It is also discussed in the political circle that Ray has a maximum chance of returning to the BJD before 2024.